Buying any new vehicle is insane.. they loose 30% of their value as soon as you roll off the lot with it!
I know a guy who bought a new car, made it 1 mile away from the lot and blew thru a red light while he was fiddiling with the new radio.. not only did he get t-boned at the intersection, but he also rear ended a person.. long story short, his full coverage insurance paid the value of the vehicle (less deductable) that was 32% less than he'd paid for it not more than an hour before.
Old trucks (especially the pre '72 trucks) are a solid investment. Take care of them, fix 'em up a bit, and they'll almost always be worth as much or more than you paid for them if you ever decide to sell. (provided you don't get crazy with custom stuff)
Other than body panels and glass, most of the parts are very common, and inexpensive.. a tuneup on one of my '46 trucks is about 1/4 of what a tuneup on the wifes Exploder costs.. a fuel pump for a '46 is $20 and can be replaced by anybody with a basic K-Mart 33 piece tool kit.. a fuel pump on a new Chevy truck alone will set you back well over $100.. and good luck putting it in!
Lots of advantages to driving an old truck, but they're not without their disadvantages..
Things like heat, air conditioning, power anything.. don't expect the same degree of creature comforts as you'd get in a new truck.
Old trucks can be drafty.. old trucks have a manual choke.. you have to let an old truck warm up a bit before you take off.
So before you commit to making the '65 your daily driver, take some time to drive it around a little.. get a taste of the "old truck experience".. it's not for everybody.. and much like any relationship, involves a certian degree of give and take.
Most of us find what those old trucks give, tho is worth far more than what they ask of us.
Welcome to the 'bolt!
